During my daily commute to the U, I had time enough to think, consider and reflect. I had just gotten back from California, where in San Bernardino on Dec. 2, another mass shooting ended the lives of another 14 people — just weeks following the devastation of Parisian cafés, restaurants and a music venue where 130 people met their end. I considered, bitterly at first, how I could explain this to the high school kids I would spend an hour teaching that day. Then I thought ‘how might a Stoic understand these incidents?’ Not an arbitrary thought, given that Stoics classically embody “ultimate resolve” in the face of life’s tortures.

Stoic philosophy is vastly misunderstood. Comparing it to the popular reimagining of Buddhism as a philosophy for laziness or existentialism as a nihilistic, despair-driven enterprise, Lary Wallace of Aeon puts it this way: “Something similar has happened to Stoicism, which is considered — when considered at all — a philosophy of grim endurance, of carrying on rather than getting over.” The problem with this understanding is that it ignores the principles composing the basic fabric of Stoic philosophy: courage, equanimity, self-control and wisdom.

Stoicism does not advocate ignoring or suppressing emotions. Rather, it attempts, by way of daily meditation and constant mindfulness, to transcend negative emotions (fear, envy, anger) while basking in quiet appreciation of the good.

Take, for a timely example of this point, the words of Yoda when speaking to a young, scared Anakin Skywalker: “Death is a natural part of life … Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.”

He does not mean that you must detach from relationships, life or its joys. Rather, he means that to appreciate life in its indeterminacy, in its ephemeral pleasures, is to appreciate those pleasures more. This advice describes the regular stoic practice of occasionally imagining the death or destruction of someone or something you love. In this way, you grow to appreciate its continued existence more. Though morbid, I think this principle rings true: If you keep the ubiquity of death in sight, you are far more likely to enjoy life.

Stoics would not be the kind of people who watch the parading terroristic exploits and mass shootings on TV and say, “Meh.” They are the kind of people who (to varying degrees) would look at these images and consequently meditate on the meaning of life, gratitude and compassion. So when an army of politicians advocates retaliation, we might consider the real war we’re already fighting amongst ourselves: the disintegration of solidarity. Solidarity amongst lay-people in their day-to-day interactions, and solidarity amongst the elected officials most able to and responsible for a reasonable, conjoined approach to combatting terrorist groups.

Instead, with the thinnest of rationales, we lean toward denying refugees access to the United States, and target Muslims, the mass majority of whom disagree with ISIS ideology.

A Stoic philosopher would never — could never — condone the sort of run-away terror dominating politics today. Instead, they would empathize with the victims of tragedy, and through empathy, come to appreciate the tenets of liberty, justice, wisdom, care and kindness.

In this age of ubiquitous weaponry, fear and anger, the sort of self-reflection and mindfulness so natural to Stoicism would do us all some good, I think.

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